Page 85 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell

Gracie’s heart lifted. “I talked to Margaret, and the court hearing is set for the eighth. We’re hoping that none of her children show up and argue, since they haven’t seemed eager to help take care of her, but you never know.”

He opened his eyes and kissed her forehead. “You’re going to make a great mom.”

Gracie’s eyes filled with tears. “I know. And I love her. Of course, being a single mom is going to make dating more complicated.”

“Not if you’re with the right guy. He’s going to want you and her and all the baggage that comes with it.”

Gracie’s breath caught, and it was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he was the one. If he wanted all this and her.

But she was a coward.

“Thanks.” She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. “I still have to find a bigger place. She can sleep with me or in the Pack ’n Play for now, but eventually, she needs her own room.”

“You still have time to look.”

She was relieved he hadn’t offered to let them move in, because that would have been an awkward plane ride. Although she could picture it, which should have made her run for the hills, but it didn’t. She imagined Eric and her arguing over décor and him teaching Pip about cars. The three of them hitting all the Rock Canyon activities, like the Fourth of July parade, the Harvest Festival, the tree-lighting ceremony. Being an actual family.

There was a loud ding, and the flight attendant came over the loudspeaker, letting them know they had hit ten thousand feet but to keep their seat belts securely fastened. Eric’s grip loosened a bit, and her hand started tingling as the feeling came back.

“So, I downloaded a couple of movies for us to watch on my iPad.”

“What kind of movies?” he asked, suspicion rife in his tone.

“Good ones likePride and Prejudice,The Duff,Veronica Mars…”

He groaned, and she laughed.

“I may also have aLethal Weapon,The Magnificent Seven, and a few other masculine choices.”

“Now we’re talking.” Eric kissed her, and as he pulled back, their gazes latched. “Thanks for being here, Gracie Lou. It means a lot.”

Gracie’s heartbeat sped up. “Sure. I’m happy for you. I’ll even let you pick first.”

She set up the iPad, and Eric lifted the armrest so that there was nothing between them. As they put the split-way headphones in their ears, Gracie laid her cheek on Eric’s chest while he held the screen on his knees. As the opening scene unfolded in a church, with some pretty nasty men threatening the townsfolk, Gracie realized that she’d never wanted to make a man happy before. She’d dated a lot of men, but she’d always worn the pants, and if she didn’t, she lost interest fast.

But compromising with Eric felt good. Just being with him did.

Who would have thought?

* * *

Ten hours later, Eric carried their bags across the shiny hotel floor, a definite hitch in his giddy-up from the hours his legs had been bent up to his chest. Next time they flew, he was booking first class and he was stretching out.

Gracie kept trying to take her bag from him, insisting she could carry the pink, bedazzled-looking luggage, but he’d growled at her more than once that his woman wasn’t carrying her luggage when he had an extra hand.

It was after eleven at night in New York, and Eric was ready to go to bed. It was funny considering he would usually be awake for another five hours or so at home, but traveling all day had wiped him out. He’d taken a little nap in Chicago, stretched out on the floor with his head in Gracie’s lap. That had been nice.

More than nice.

They checked in and headed up to their room on the fifteenth floor. The publisher had arranged their accommodations, and as they stepped inside the room, Eric froze.

“Holy shit!” Gracie said.

The room was spacious, with a king-size bed and two black nightstands on either side. The artwork on the walls was black-and-white framed photos of New York Skylines and the oversized black chair and ottoman in the corner looked inviting. A black desk was positioned against the wall, and the drapes to the window were spread open, showing off the bright lights from the city buildings.

“This is nice!” Gracie went into the bathroom and flipped on the light. “Hey, check out the bathroom.”

Eric came up behind her and whistled. A deep claw-foot tub and large shower, complete with two-sink vanity. It was almost as big as his bathroom.

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